As we know that engines of automobiles and certain machinery do not burn oil completely. A large amount of used oil that is produced can be reused. Wrong ways of disposal of used oil can lead to pollution. Therefore, recycling of automotive oil is necessary.
What is automotive oil recycling?
The oil in the engines has to be changed after the vehicle has run certain distance. Basically, lubricant is added to the crude oil. To this, additives are added to create the commercially available automobile engine oil. The heat produced in the engines results in the degradation and oxidisation of the oil. Due to the metals that get added and the breakdown of additives results in the formation of sludge.
This used oil is subjected to modern technology and processes. First, vacuum distillation is done to remove the water from the used oil. Then the oil is subjected to wiped film evaporation to remove the contaminants and the additives. Then the process of hydroheating is carried out. This will help in adding the hydrogen to the hydrocarbon molecules. This process is carried out at a very high temperature. This gives you good quality recycled oil.
What to do with the used oil?
Keep in mind that recycling of the used oil is the first option that should come to your mind. Collect the oil carefully in a plastic or a metal container which has a tight lid. Avoid the use of used containers. Make sure that you do not add any other chemicals or liquids to the oil that you have collected. Take this oil to a centre which has this oil recycling facility. The used oil that you recycle exactly the same amount of fuel oil is produced. From used motor oil you can get lubricating base oil. You can use the oil from cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, lawn and farm equipment etc.
How recycling of oil helps the environment?
One should note that one litre of contaminated oil can contaminate almost one million litres of water. From this, you can understand the hazards that used oil can create for the environment. If you thought you could simply dump used oil in dustbin, please never do that. This ends up in a landfill. The used oil if mixed with soil can penetrate land and contaminate ground water. Instead of adopting these inappropriate ways of used oil disposal it is always better to go in for recycling of oil. The oil can be recycled and can be reused without having any harmful effects on the environment. Recycling of oil:
- Prevents the contamination natural resources like oil and water
- You are also protecting natural resource like oil. Remember that used oil has just got dirty and needs to be cleaned. There is no need to get rid of the used oil which is a valuable and expensive resource.
- Recycling of oil is an energy saving option. The energy needed to get a re- refined base stock is much less as compared to that needed to get base stock from crude oil.
- 42 gallons of crude oil gives 2.5 quarts of lubricating oil. Whereas one gallon of used oil gives 2.5 quarts of lubricating oil. So you can understand the vast benefit that recycling of oil has over crude oil.
One important point to be noted here is that these days even plastic is used for getting oil. Various processes are used to use waste plastic and get oil from it.
Recycling of automotive oil is beneficial to the planet as this option prevents the inappropriate disposal of used oil which can cause lots of damage to the environment.
